Ink pump cleaning device



March 20, 1962 J. J, EBERLE INK PUMP CLEANING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 12, 1957 FIG. I.

, INVENTOR AT ORNEYS March 20, 1962 J. J. EBERLE INK PUMP CLEANING DEVICE Filed July 12, 19574 INVENTOR AT ORN 5 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 9 w oc United States atent flice 3,025,8fi3 Patented Mar. 20, 1962 3,025,863 INK PUMP CLEANING DEVICE Julian J. Eberle, 1019 Mariana Ave., Coral Gables, Fla. Filed July 12, 1957, Ser. No. 671,474 2 Claims. (Cl. 134-101) This invention relates to cleaning devices for use with printing machine ink pumps and other mechanisms handling viscous or pigmented fluids, where solvent flushing or circulation is required.

While usable for cleaning a variety of pumps and other mechanisms, the device of the invention will be described with reference to the cleaning of ink pumps, a field of use which fully illustrates its uses and advantages.

It is an object of the invention to provide a portable or movable cleaning device which will not obstruct the working space when not in use, but may readily be used with any of a number of mechanisms, as required.

Another object is to provide a device providing for draining ink or other working fluid, to avoid waste, and then washing the mechanism to be cleaned with a suitable solvent, or with two or more successive washes or circulations with dilterent batches of the same solvent or different solvents.

Another object is to improve the action of the solvent or other cleaning fluid by continuous agitation and aeration.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a rear elevational view of a cleaning device embodying the invention in a preferred form, parts broken away to show the internal structure;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view with parts broken away to show the internal structure; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the operation of the device of FIGS. 1 and 2.

The cleaning device is mounted on a dolly or carriage having casters and is enclosed in a housing 1 1 having a removable cover 12 and drawers 1'3, 14 and 15, which may be used for fresh solvent, used solvent and ink, respectively, or other fluids according to the apparatus or equipment to be cleaned. The drawers are easily removable by handles 18. External connections 16a-d and 17a-d for pumping fluid from and to an ink pump respectively are provided, and may take the form of so-called quick couplings of known type such as the Evertite couplings widely used in the petroleum industry. One member of each of these couplings is attached to each external connection 16ad or 17ad and the other member to a suitable length of flexible hose to connect it with an ink pump on the printing machine. These couplings are each provided with a valve that automatically closes and prevents leakage when the coupling members are disconnected.

The cleaning device includes a motor 20 (FIG. 2), driving a liquid pump 21, the intake pipe 22 of which is connected to an intake manifold 23 and the discharge line 24 from which, is connected to a discharge header 25 (FIG. 2). The manifold and header, and the connections thereto are equipped with suitable valves for drawing solvent from either of the drawers 13 or 14, circulating it through from one to four ink pumps or other mechanism that it is desired to clean, and then discharging it into one of the drawers 13, 14 or 15, where it may be held for further use or drained off and discarded.

The connections for drawing solvent from the ink drawers 13 and 14, each include a fitting 26 (FIG. 2), a quick coupling 27, and a neoprene or other suitable flexible hose 28 (FIG. 1), connected to a valve 29 or 30, having a connection 31 to the liquid pump intake manifold 23. These valves are normally closed and are opened only to transfer solvent from the drawers 13 or 14, to the manifold 23.

The fluid pump discharge header 25 includes three-way valves 36, 37 and 38, which are normally open, but they may be turned to deflect solvent flowing through them, into discharge pipes 35 (FIG. 2) that lead to drawers 13, 14 and 15 respectively.

Pipe connections 39, 40, 41 and 42 each lead from the discharge header 25 to a T-fitting 43 (FIG. 2), and thence by a pipe 44 to external hose connections 17a, 17b, 17c and 17d.

Fluid discharged from the solvent pump 21 through connections 24 to the header 25 may be discharged into any of the drawers 13-1415 through pipes 35, if the proper valve 36, 37 or 38 is set in a position to deflect the stream, but with these valves set in the open position the stream from the header 25 will flow through one or more of the pipe connections 39 to external couplings 17a, 17b, 17c and 17d and if they are connected to an ink pump to be cleaned, the solvent will flow through it and return through couplings 16a, 16b, 16c and 16d into the intake manifold 23 and thus complete the path of circulation. A safety valve 45 is connected between the inlet and outlet connections of the liquid pump 21 to avoid damage through improper manipulation of the valves.

A reciprocating piston type air compressor and a motor 51 for driving it (preferably at about 1800 strokes per minute) are provided, as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 3. A spring closed air distributing valve 54 (shown detached in FIG. 2), is connected in the compressed air line for controlling air carried by tube connections 55, to each of four injectors 57, which are in the form of tubes secured centrally in the T-fittings 43. Thus, during the latter part of every compression stroke of the piston, the rising pressure opens the air valve 54 and a blast of air discharged into the stream of solvent serves to agitate and aerate the solvent fluid prior to its discharge into the apparatus to be cleaned. Check valves 59 are located between the tubes 55 and the injectors 57 and a relief valve 56 is carried by the compressor.

Each of the drawers 13 and 14 is equipped with a drain pipe 60 having a shutoff valve 61, whereby fluid may be drained frrom the drawer without removing it from the cleaning device. If desired, either of the drawers 13 or 14 may be pulled out and uncoupled by the quick coupling 27, so as to permit removing the drawer for a thorough cleaning. The drawer 15, having no ho-se 2.8, is more easily removed, and is used to receive clean ink that it is desired to save.

When it is desired to print with ink of a difierent color from that last used in a printing machine, the ink remaining in the ink pump must first be removed. For cleaning an ink pump having four compartments which are provided with hose connections (FIG. 3), four suitable lengths of hose with quick couplings are connected between the external connections 17a, 17b, 17c and 17d, and hose connections 62a, 62b, 62c and 62d respectively, located in the upper part of the ink pump compartments, and four similar hose lengths with like couplings are connected between the external connections 16a, 16b, 16c and 16d and the hose connections 63a, 63b, 63c and 63d respectively, located in the lower part of the ink pump compartments.

With the valves 29 and 30 closed and the valve 38 turned to deflect the ink into the drawer 15, the motor 211 is started, driving the solvent pump 21, and it draws the ink out of the ink pump and drives it into the drawer 15 which can easily be removed and the unused ink placed in any suitable storage container.

Solvent for cleaning the ink pump is placed in drawer 14 and valve 29 is opened to allow it to flow into the intake manifold 23, after which valve 29 is closed and 3 valves 36, 37 and 38 are opened. The solvent pump 21 terially thus greatly increasing its cleansing action. During this operation the ink pump may be turned over manually or by power so as to force the solvent thoroughly into contact with all its parts.

Meanwhile, with the valve 30 closed, clean solvent for rinsing is placed in drawer 13. The motors 20 and 50 are then stopped and the valve 37 is turned to deflect the circulating solvent back into the drawer 14. The motor 20 is again started, the ink laden solvent in the circulating system is withdrawn from the ink pump and returned to the drawer 1 4, and the motor 20' is then stopped. A rinsing operation follows.

This is merely a repetition and is effected by opening the valve 30 to permit the clean solvent in drawer 13 to run into the manifold 23, after which the valve 30 is closed. The ink laden solvent in drawer 14 is then drained into a suitable vessel placed under the drain 60 (FIG. 2) by opening the valve 61. The cleaning operation is completed by opening the valve 37, again running the motors 20 and 5-1 to circulate the solvent used for rinsing, after which the valve 37 may be turned to deflect the rinsing solvent into the drawer 14 where it may be kept for the next cleaning operation. The motors are then stopped.

As is obvious, used solvent may be salvaged by settling, distillation or in any other appropriate manner, to prolong its useful life in the cleaning device.

What is claimed is:

1. A cleaning device for pumps or other apparatus containing viscous or pigmented fluid, comprising a portable unit containing a working fluid and solvent circulating pump, an intake connection taking fluid from the equipment to be cleaned and a discharge connection for supplying fluid to the equipment to be cleaned, a displacement air pump for introducing air periodically and in bursts at a higher pressure than the circulating pump into the said discharge connection, and air valve means for blocking air flow from said air pump at pressures below a predetermined value in excess of the discharge pressure of the circulating pump and permitting air flow at pressures higher than the said predetermined value.

2. A cleaning device according to claim 1, comprising also a check valve between the air valve and discharge connection.

References Cited in the file or" this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,498,477 Nichles June 17, 1924 1,549,952 Anderson Aug. 18, 1925 2,078,740 Stahl Apr. 27, 1937 2,222,516 Powell Nov. 19, 1940 2,608,981 Jackson Sept. 2, 1952 2,631,595 Langland Mar. 17, 1953 2,721,566 Brucker Oct. 25, 1955 2,818,076 Erling Dec. 31, 1957 

